New mom passionate about helping women realize and reach their greatest potential

Why I became a Beachbody Coach

So, as most of you probably know by now, I recently joined the Fit Club Network as a Team Beachbody Coach. There are quite a number of reasons I made this decision, and I wanted to take a moment to share my “why” with you.

Most people have seen at least one Beachbody infomercial in the past few years, but what they don’t tell you in those infomercials is how getting into the best shape of your life can completely change your outlook on life. As much as you might change on the outside, so much more happens on the inside. It is hard to explain if you haven’t experienced it for yourself, but along with Strala yoga, Beachbody programs have been a real game changer for me, and because of this I am passionate about sharing them with everyone else. I am not a fitness expert or a professional trainer, but I want to help people the way health and fitness has helped me.

I grew up in a very loving family. Two of the best parents anyone could ask for, supportive, funny, always available, and present, as well as two siblings, who were my archenemies, turned best friends. However, within this loving environment I still managed to develop a seriously negative body image. My first vivd memory of looking in a mirror and being utterly unhappy with what my body looked like was when I was 11 years old. This continued and got worse as I got older. I don’t know where it came from or why it happened, but it did, and because of it I am hyper-aware that it can happen to anyone (including my little violin students that I love so dearly), and that many people struggle with these mental and emotional issues silently, so ashamed that they can’t talk about it.

In 2005 I was in a car accident. I was on my way to perform at someone’s wedding, and had two dear friends (a cellist and another violinist) in the car with me. I was driving. We were hit from behind after being flagged down to stop because of road work ahead. The shock was numbing. I remember having glass shards in my toes, and struggling to open my door to get out, but don’t remember any immediate pain. Panic swept over me as I realized our instruments were in the trunk (any musicians who have traveled with me since now know why my violin NEVER goes in the trunk). Luckily the instruments were fine, but the car was totaled.

Once the initial shock had subsided and feeling returned to my body, I noticed there was something wrong with my right shoulder and arm. I could hardly move. Somehow plans were made for us to be picked up from the side of the highway and taken to the wedding. I remember struggling through the gig in intense pain, and somehow, with bleeding toes, a missing earring, and an insanely sore shoulder, I somehow made it home that evening.

My whole life had been focused on violin. I started playing at age 7, and when other kids where dreaming of becoming nurses and teachers, firemen, and astronauts, I never once doubted that I would one day be a professional violinist. I was just starting my Honors Degree in Violin Performance when all this took place. I was told I would not be able to play for at least 3 months due to torn ligaments in my right shoulder and arm and other weird injuries, and that even when I did start playing again it would probably never be at the level I was aiming for. Surgery was mentioned often, but thankfully I had 2 doctors who fought for me and advised that if I wanted to hold onto my career as a musician I needed to stay far away from surgery and rather find another method to strengthen, stabilize, and mobilize my shoulder again.

My self-worth plummeted. For a few years I struggled to find value in who I was. Everything suffered, my self-esteem, my relationships, my attitude, my studies. It took a long time, but slowly I realized that you really do attract what you project. “Negativity begets negativity,” and I didn’t want to be attracting that into my life!

The ever radiant Tara Stiles

I never dreamed I could be as passionate about something else as I am about violin and music, but as I started really looking into healing my body and using nutrition and fitness to do that, a small flame was ignited. I stumbled across Tara Stiles in Women’s Health magazine, and around the same time, I found myself captivated by a Beachbody infomercial for Insanity. After our honeymoon in 2009, Rob and I decided to give Insanity a try. We both had fantastic results, and as hard and intense as the program was, we had a blast and fell in love with Beachbody, their mission, and their passion.

Between Strala yoga and Beachbody I crawled my way back to being excited and passionate about life and what my body was capable of. I had hidden many of my struggles, and much of my pain from the people in my life, always wanting to portray someone who was happy and content. Looking back I realize I ended up hiding my insecurities, hopelessness, and low self-worth by pretending to be something and someone I was not.

Eric and Sarita at their wedding reception

Unfortunately in 2011 a nightmare began to play itself out. A dear friend, and the husband of one of my closest and most beloved friends, was diagnosed with brain cancer. glioblastoma multiforme. In 2012 we looked on helplessly as Eric lost the battle to this fiercely aggressive and deadly disease. It is not something you can ever prepare for, it is not something you can ever plan for, and it is not something you ever expect, it is just plain devastating. I decided to do everything in my power (with the understanding that these things are often not in our power) to help both myself and those around me make choices and take actions that could help lower the risks or prevent the onset of this undiscriminating disease. Nothing is ever guaranteed, but I have chosen to fight back, in any and every way possible.

Jessica and Lauren

Strala yoga and Beachbody have been game changers for me. I feel indebted to them for physically making me strong enough to deal with anything, and emotionally strong enough to truly be me. I have completed 2 trainings with Tara Stiles (founder and CEO of Strala, and an inspiring, kind, and lovable soul), and because I am not only passionate about helping adults, but children as well, I have done Yogi Beans children’s yoga training in NYC with Lauren Chaitoff and Jessica Mougis (two of the funnest, loveliest people I have been lucky enough to meet and learn from). I plan on getting certified to teach PiYo Live at some point in the near future.

I know that what Beachbody and Strala have given me was really inside me all along, I just needed the help and support to get myself to reach down deep and pull myself up. Eric will forever be an inspiration to live well and fight hard, and will never be forgotten.

My dream and passion is to help, encourage, and inspire my family, friends, students, and co-workers to dig down deep, believe in themselves, and live a life that inspires. You attract what you project. I want to be a happy, healthy, kind, caring, and inspiring person, so that in return I attract those kinds of people into my life. For me, that is one of the greatest reasons for becoming a Coach.

Taking a quick yoga break between violin lessons

I have to admit, I was really skeptical of this coaching business at first. Like most people, I had only ever heard negative things about network marketing, but Beachbody’s mission and passion had made such a positive impact on my life that I knew becoming a coach was the right thing for me to do. I quickly learned that being a coach is so much more than just selling a product. Beachbody does not sell their products through retail stores because they want to give their customers a support system they can use to increase their chance of success. That support system consists of coaches (who were once customers themselves) to help people stay motivated and accountable – and help answer any questions about their fitness or nutrition products. It is a business based on connection, support, and integrity.

If you are interested in helping others, connecting with people, and creating your own financial freedom through building your own business, you are welcome to reach out to us at any time, we will be available to answer any questions you might have.
Come join us on this journey, and connect with like-minded, inspiring, and motivated people across the country.
We are excited for all that awaits!